


Time After Time

by GorillaInTheMist



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Alternate Worlds, Angst, Character Death, F/M, Fluff, Happy Ending, Memory Loss, SO MUCH FLUFF, Searching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-12
Updated: 2015-03-12
Packaged: 2018-03-17 11:32:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3527810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GorillaInTheMist/pseuds/GorillaInTheMist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The battle rang out around them. Fire and smoke stained the horizon, but the only thing he cared about was her. If he hadn’t left, if he had ran faster, maybe he could have saved her.<br/>He would see her again. Somewhere. Sometime. “I will find you again, and I will never let you go, vhenan”. </p><p>If you're lost you can look - and you will find me<br/>Time after time<br/>If you fall I will catch you - I'll be waiting<br/>Time after time<br/>~Cyndi Lauper</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Almost Left Behind

The battle rang out around them. Fire and smoke stained the horizon, but the only thing he cared about was her. Ellana, his heart, lay in his arms beyond the help of his healing magic. If he hadn’t left, if he had ran faster, maybe he could have saved her. 

She took a shaking breath as she looked up at him in puzzlement. “Solas?” 

“Yes, vhenan, I’m here.” He tried to keep his own breath from quaking. 

“You’re here.” A small smile calmed the terror in her eyes. “I knew you’d come back to me.” 

“I never should have let you go, Elle. I promise that I’ll always find you. I will always love you.” His arms pulled her closer to his body, enveloping her in his love for her final moments. 

“I love you, Solas. We’ll be together again.” Her breath hitched in pain.

He gently kissed her forehead while he stroked her hair. “Of course we will, emma’lath. In another world and we’ll be so happy.” 

Her hand reached up and caressed his face, gently smiling, “I’ll be waiting for you, ma sa’lath.” 

The eyes that had once shone with such passion, started to dull as they gazed into his. Asking, ‘why?’ The rhythm of her breathing started to slow and her hand fell from his cheek. Then, there was nothing. Glazed eyes. Silent chest. Gone.

“No. No. No. No.” He whispered clutching her to him and forcefully placing kisses around her face as if somehow his touch could revive her. He had not let himself fall apart so often in all his years, first after Crestwood, then after the final battle, and now…..now she was the one who would not to come back. 

On the side of the battlefield Fen’Harel openly wept, for his heart had been ripped away from him. 

A sharp pain caused him to cry out. Looking down, he saw a small triangle of metal through his chest. How? Behind him he heard, “This is the end, Dread Wolf.” Andruil finally had her revenge. 

Blood gushed out from his chest, mingling with Ellana’s on his body. He faltered bending forward his head resting on her lifeless shoulder. If he were to die, at least it would be with her in his arms, both of them knowing that their love was eternal. 

The world felt colder, quieter. A sense of calm washed over him. He would see her again. Somewhere. Sometime. “I will find you again, and I will never let you go, vhenan”. He whispered to her.

As everything began slipped away, he could heard her laugh tinkling like a bell in the distance. He smiled as he was taken by the Void, knowing that she would be expecting him. 

.................................................

Elle danced around the other baristas at the little coffee shop. While working at a café was certainly not her life goal, she was enjoying it. 

Her eyes surveyed the low key crowed seated amongst small tables and couches. They looked cozy and happy, and that made Ellana feel satisfied. At least she had brought some amount of peace to a person’s day. 

Suddenly, something caught her eye; a man stood in the window looking at her. He was tall for an elf. Bald, but handsome. She was blushing! Elle quickly averted her eyes and returned to work. How embarrassing! Gawking at a random stranger like that. Dorian would have teased her all day if he had seen. 

The bell rang on the door, pleasantly tinkling. “Welcome to Skyhold, I’m Elle. What can I get for you?” 

“Good morning, Elle.” A man’s voice answered. “I’ll need a moment.”

She finally looked up; it was him. The man from the window. He was even more handsome up close. He seemed worldly, and intelligent. She fought to keep her jaw from dropping. 

“Al…alright, just let me know if you have any questions.” She was a stammering fool. 

“What is your favorite thing here?” his steel blue eyes met hers, making her breath stutter. Those eyes were so familiar. 

“I enjoy the spiced mocha. It’s chocolate and caffeinated, but has a bit of kick at the end. Unexpected.” Work questions were like a script, nothing to stammer over here. Thank the Creators. 

“I’ll have one of those and just a spiced hot chocolate.” He thoughtfully ordered. 

“No espresso in one and yes in the other? I can do that for you. Do you want a drink carrier?” She asked from behind the giant espresso machine.

“No, I’d like them both in mugs for here.” He followed her as she worked along the bar.

“Someone meeting you?” Envy flashed through her, irrational envy. She didn’t even know his name and he could be meeting anyone. What was her problem!?

“Hopefully.” He grinned at her almost predatorily. Weird. Very weird.  
She finished the two drinks and set them on the table. His hand brushed against hers as the both reached to adjust one of the mugs. Heat ran over her entire body. Intense grey-ish eyes pierced into her. Elle blushed and pulled away.

“I was hoping that you would be the one who joined me. Do you happen to be able to take a break?” 

That was why he asked her what her favorite drink was! He was very smooth. 

“I….well…I supposed I can ask. Give me one second.” She dashed to the back where Dorian was sitting avoiding the front. 

“Dorian, my dear?” She said sweetly.

“Hm?” he looked up slightly interested. 

“Can I take my break now?” 

“Sure. What’s with the sweetness act?” 

“A guy came in, asked me what my favorite drink was, ordered it, and then asked me to join him. So, break. Now. Please?!” Words tumbled excitedly from her lips. 

“Seriously? Yes, and show me.” The two popped back out of the back doors together. Dorian saw the man at the bar and nodded approvingly. “Well done, Elle. Take as long as you need.” 

She hung her apron behind the counter. “I’m officially on break.” 

He took both of the mugs and gracefully moved to a two person table in a secluded corner of the room. 

Two hours later she was walking him toward the door. He had a meeting he needed to go to. “So, later tonight?” he held her hand in his.

“Yes. Tonight.” She held back a giggle as he lifted her hand to his lips. 

“I’ll be thinking of nothing else.” The doorbell chimed again as he walked out. 

Elle floated back to the bar, humming a happy tune as she put her apron back on. 

“So?” Dorian popped out of the back.

“He’s a researcher at the university. He is older. He’s new in town. And we are going out for dinner tonight.” She did a little dance of excitement. 

Dorian bumped her with his hip as he walked past. “I will be living vicariously through you in this fairy tale.” 

She had never been so relaxed with a man, none the less a stranger. Something about him was perfect, like they were meant to know each other. Elle had never been one to believe in love at first sight, but maybe she had been wrong. This felt so right. He felt so right. 

One thing was sure. 

She couldn’t wait till tonight.


	2. Flashback-Warm Nights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a third world....

Elle sat in her first graduate seminar waiting for the professor to walk in. She was slightly nervous, graduate school was intimidating. Everyone else in the room seemed so poised and radiated intelligence. To say she was out of her league felt like an understatement. Better get used to it, these people were her colleagues—a tall brunette with short hair and a tall blonde with fantastic hair walked in, provoking a greeting from the redhead behind her. 

Finally, the classroom was full and the bell chimed. 

A tall elf walked in taking a spot at the lectern in the front of the room. He was bald, strong, with hypnotizing steel grey eyes. Elle did her best to hold back a shocked yelp.

It was him! 

She had dreamed of this nameless man for years, for as long as she could remember. Anytime either of them named him a fog silenced the word. He was always there, comforting her, loving her, protecting her. All her life she had figured that he was some sort of spirit she had conjured, a phantom formed from her secret desires. But….he was there. Standing right there. 

Her trance was broken by his voice “Ellana Lavellan?” his voice was exactly how she had dreamed. “Ms. Lavellan?”

“Oh. Sorry.” Elle stumbled over her words. “I’m here.” 

His gaze met hers, perhaps it was a relic of her dreams, but there was a glimmer of recognition there. 

She didn’t hear a word he said in that first class period, instead she just drank in his physical presence. Memories of her fantasy man danced through her mind. 

_His strong arms wrapped around her, “Hush, vhenan.” She nestled against his chest breathing in his uniquely herbal scent. “ *** it’s too much. Can we please just run away from everything?”_

_“Elle, you’d throw away the world just to be with me?” The look on his face made her blush._

_“I’ve already given them so much. I just…I want to be me, not the Inquisitor.”_

_“You are the Inquisitor, ma’lath. I love you no matter the circumstance, but we cannot simply leave.” He laughed into the top of her head._

_“Let’s go to bed, emma’asha.” His voice laden with suggestion._

_“To bed, you say?” she giggled as her tears dried._

_“mhm.” His lips teased the pulse in her neck making her gasp. Heat flooded her body as he gently pushed her back onto the bed in her room. His weight on top of her was intoxicating, she craved all of him. *** easily freed her from her shirt and bindings. Calloused hands brushed against her skin, sending waves of pleasant goose bumps across her chest. Teeth bit at her neck where he had been focusing his energy, knowing how undone it made her._

_“Creators, ***, take me.” She moaned, pulling at his tunic._

“Ms. Lavellan?” his voice called her back from her fantasy. 

“Excuse me?” she sputtered.

“I asked you a question.” His voice had an edge of anger in it. 

“I…I honestly was…” Elle did her best to avoid his disappointed eyes.

“You were not paying attention. Not the best way to begin class, da’len.” He chided 

A mustachioed man to her left chuckled at her predicament. 

“I…I’m sorry hahren. I’ll do better.” She said softly. 

“Glad to hear it.” 

The rest of the class was torturous. He spoke of elven history, which was fascinating, but keeping her mind on the actual man in front of her and not on the imaginary one in her mind took all of her mental strength. Finally, he excused the class. 

Everyone else quickly left the room, but Elle lagged behind. 

The professor stood at the front of the room still, gathering his materials into his satchel. 

“Professor?”

“Yes, Ms. Lavellan?” 

“I’m terribly sorry for my inattention today. It’s just….Have we met before?” 

His eyes snapped up from the papers before him. “No, we have not. Why do you ask?” 

“I just…feel like I know you.” Her eyes traced the lines of his face. “I’ve dreamed about you all of my life.” Elle’s hand flew up to her mouth. Why would she say that?! Socially inept. She could never show her face to him again.

“Is that so?” an amused smile passed over his face. 

“I don’t know why I said that. Wow. I’m sorry.” Mortified. 

“Dreams are powerful things, da’len.” His complex eyes locked onto hers. 

“My keeper told me maybe it was a sprit taking form, blessing me. Or perhaps that it was long lost memories from former lives or from lives not yet lived.” Her heart was racing.  
“So, I’ll ask you one more time and then never mention it again. Do you know me, hahren?” 

“Yes, Elle. I do. It has been so long since you called me that.” He rounded the lectern to stand in front of her. 

“I don’t know your name. Anytime either of us say it in my dreams, something prevents me from hearing it. Who are you?” Almost involuntarily her hand reached up to cup his cheek.

“Solas.” His hand cradled the back of her neck pulling himself closer. 

“Solas…” She repeated quietly. Suddenly a rush of her dreams pushed against her mind, finally complete. It was him.

“Solas!” she blurted out in elation, capturing his lips with hers. 

He met her kiss with unmatched passion. Joy pulsated between them. When she broke their kiss to take a breath he cradled her face in his hands admiring her. 

“I found you.” She beamed. 

“You have never ceased to amaze me, vhenan.” He kissed her forehead, then pulled her into a crushing embrace, like if he released a little she would float away. 

“I’ll never be taken from you again, ma sa’lath.” She promised, lips brushing against his warm neck. 

“I’d never let you, emma’asha.” 

“What now, Solas? I was going to say that we should go home, but…”

“Now? We make our own home, and simply be so happy, for the rest of our lives.” He kissed her again, gently, reverently. 

Her dreams were real. Standing here loving her. 

She had always been his. 

She would always be his.


	3. If You Fall I Will Catch You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> But, what about this Ellana?

Elle had never been particularly outdoorsy, but for whatever reason, she had listened when Varric had told her to come hiking with him and Cassandra. Something about her needing to get some fresh air after spending so much time working. There were worse ways to spend her Saturday morning. 

There was an exposed rock face down a steep decline near the path. Elle wanted to get a closer look at the geological formation. “I’ll meet you guys back at the car in a bit. I’m just going to check this out!” 

The odd pair continued off down the path together; leaving for the outcropping was a fantastic excuse to make them have some alone time. Sometimes people just needed a little shove. 

Elle carefully made her way down the ravine. Halfway through the descent, she was quite proud of herself for moving so deftly. The rock her hand moved to broke out of the ground surrounding it making her lose her footing. Suddenly, Elle was tumbling down the last ten feet or so to the bottom of the valley. 

Her body hit the ground with a wet thud. That was certainly going to leave a bruise….many bruises. She tried to sit up, but when the world around her started spinning, thought it would be better to just lay there for a bit. 

The sound of shifting rubble was soft in the distance. Now a rockslide? That didn’t make sense. 

“Hello?!” a frantic voice called out.

She managed a groan in response. 

A man’s face crossed into her range of vision. He looked worried, eyes assessing her in a practiced way.

“I think you’ve broken your wrist and a few ribs. Are you okay with me helping?” His voice hesitated as he asked for permission. That was very kind of him. 

A gurgled laugh made its way from her throat, “of course.” 

Waves of warm healing magic covered her body. Never had she been healed on such a large scale. His mana felt intimate, almost sensual. She had not expected that sort of internal conflict: raging pain and desire. 

Breathing was finally starting to come easier. Her vision started to focus. 

A bald man held her wrist in his hands. His brows were furrowed in concentration. He was beautiful, strong lines in his face, but they were connected with graceful curves. Cool blue eyes met hers and her heart stuttered. 

She smiled up at him, “Thank you. I am feeling much less like I’ve fallen down a cliff now.” 

“What were you doing?!” he pulled himself closer to her his voice held a level of protective anger that seemed unwarranted. 

“I was coming down here to look at the rocks. I lost my footing on the way down and well…ended up here.” 

“Elle, that was -“

“How do you know my name?” a sliver of panic pierced her core. She was in a secluded ravine with a strange man who knew her name, but she had never seen him before. “Do I know you?” He couldn’t be dangerous, really. He had just saved her from an extremely painful trip back up the slope. 

He balked. “Not quite. I heard the dwarf mention your name as I passed on the trail.” 

Varric never referred to anyone by their actual name, had his story been true he would have called her ‘Grace.’ A stranger would have taken that to be her name, and not a comment on her ability to put one foot in front of the other like it actually was. 

Elle stood up quickly, she needed to separate herself from this potentially dangerous stranger. Bad idea. Everything tilted sideways and she started to fall forward. The elf caught her against his chest. He moved much faster than she would have expected him to be able to. 

“You need to rest. You’ve only just been healed.” His words were soothing. Something about him felt like home. 

“I don’t understand. How did you find me? I didn’t even have time to scream.” She was whispering, all of a sudden aware of how close they were to one another. 

“I’m very observant.” 

“You saved me. You looked terrified.” She raised a hand from his chest and caressed his face, as if her hands were trying to make her brain remember the contours. 

“You were seriously hurt. How could I not have been?” He leaned into her touches with thinly veiled restraint, like he wanted to melt into her touch, but couldn’t let himself. 

“There’s more.” It wasn’t a question. There was something he wasn’t telling her, yet she was unafraid in his arms. Everything about him screamed that he wanted to protect her and not harm her. 

Something about him was pulling her toward him brushing their lips together. “I don’t understand.” She whispered against him. 

“I promised to find you, even though you don’t remember.” His voice shook slightly with…sadness? 

Inside of her cracks started to form in a long forgotten dam “I was waiting.” The words were familiar and alien at the same time. A whisper from ages past. 

His eyes brightened as he looked down at her, expectantly. 

“Elle?!” a panicked voice rang out over the valley snapping her back into the present. The body it belonged to frantically ran down to where she stood in the arms of a stranger. 

“Are you alright? Maker’s Breath, darling.” Alistair stopped next to her, placing a hand on her lower back. He frowned, finally looking at the older man who held her. “Honey, who is this?” 

Her jaw slacked slightly, she didn’t even know his name.

The stranger spoke slowly releasing his hold on her. “I am Solas. I was on a hike when I saw her crumpled at the bottom of the valley. Luckily, I’m a healer over at the hospital. She was injured quite badly…seems to be well now.” 

“Why were you down here, Elle?” Alistair looked at her incredulously.

She pointed to the rocks she still hadn’t been able to look at. 

“You are going to make me old before my time, woman.” He laughed at her, wrapping his arms around her tightly. “Thank you so much for taking care of her.” Alistair extended a hand to Solas. 

“Ali, what are you even doing here?” she cocked her head questioning.

“I was going to surprise you with a picnic after the hike, but you didn’t return with Varric, so I panicked. With good reason, mind you.” 

Solas finally met Alistair’s hand, firmly shaking. 

“Wow. I haven’t even introduced myself. I’m Alistair, her long suffering finance.” 

Elle watched as something in the elf seemed to shatter. His eyes darting between the two clouding with sadness. 

“The king? You throw yourself down a ravine to look at rocks and you’re to marry the king?” he shook his head disbelieving. 

“I…yes…” Elle stammered. For some reason she felt like her heart was breaking for this man she had not known thirty minutes before. Her soul was screaming that she was in the wrong man’s arms, that she had made a mistake. That was insane. She loved her silly Alistair. 

So, why was she crying? 

“My heart?” Alistair brushed a thumb along her jaw, full of concern. “What’s wrong?” 

“I….I’m just a little shaken up from the fall…that’s all.” Her gaze wouldn’t leave Solas’s shattered blue orbs. Alistair held her closer, trying to comfort her.

“Elle, we should go. Cassandra and Varric are waiting for us. Solas, won’t you join us? Without you she would still be…” He shook his head and kissed the top of her head. 

“No, I should go.” Solas smiled, but Elle could tell it was devoid of happiness. “Wouldn’t want to ruin a surprise picnic.” 

“Well…This was not how I imagined my day going.” She sighed still looking over the strange elf.

“Sometimes things do not work out the way we wish.” He said softly. Solas averted his eyes from her, dejected, and he started to climb back up the other side of the valley.  
To Elle, he looked irrevocably broken. Why? What was going on? She wanted to call out to him, to kiss him and let him know it was going to be alright. None of this made sense. Maybe the fall had jostled her brain more than she had thought. 

“Okay, my liege, let’s go.” She finally looked back at her lover, his tawny eyes full of love and admiration. Something was different, she couldn’t quite muster the excitement his gaze created in her earlier in the day. 

She had had quite a fall.


	4. You're Calling to Me, I Can't Hear

It always seemed like Elle could never find the book she was looking for. No matter how many times she came to the library, she always got lost. There were worse places to wander aimlessly. The library was beautiful and full of knowledge. 

Out of the corner of her eyes she saw the normal head librarian. He always made her heart race, but she had never said a word to him that didn’t have to do with books or history. He was older and sophisticated. Sometimes she would pretend to be lost just so that she would have a reason to talk to him. 

He always had kind words for her. Sometimes their chance meetings lasted hours, him gently teaching. It was silly. There was no way that he would ever see her. 

She turned and smiled at him, nodding agreeably. He returned her greeting with a soft grin from across the room. 

Hands encircled her waist flipping her around and then pinning her to the book shelf she had been browsing. She was frozen in shock as frantic lips pressed into hers. When she smelled the distinct sterile scent of scrubs she relaxed a bit. Anders was always finding ways of catching her off guard. 

“I’ve been wanting to do that all day, love” he whispered into her lips as he pulled away, freeing her. 

“This is so not the place, Anders.” She laughed as she scolded him.

“What? I’m whispering aren’t I?” He pulled her hips to his suggestively “Are you sure you won’t come over tonight?” 

“Yes, Anders. As charming as you are…I’m going to have to decline your offer…again.” 

“You’re breaking my heart, Elle.” He teased her neck with his warm lips.

“I saw you kissing, Hawke earlier today. Why aren’t you asking him?” she laughed louder than she should in a library when a crack of shock burst through his cool façade. 

“He comes second to you in my desires.” He murmured against her skin. 

If she was a weaker woman she might have given in. He exuded sex and experience, luring her to him. She refused to be a casual dalliance with anyone, and given Ander’s history, that was exactly what she would become. 

“If you ever want to be serious, Anders, you know where to find me.” She kissed his cheek and ducked out of his embrace. “I’ll see you around.” 

Elle walked down a few rows of books away from Anders before leaning against the wall of books and taking a deep breath. That man would be the death of her. He wanted her, and maybe it could become more than that, but she didn’t want to take the chance. 

Movement caught her eye beside her. It was Solas. Of course it was. She gently hit her head back against the wall. He would have seen everything.

“Are you alright?” he asked with a smirk. 

“I…yes…thank you.” She righted herself.

“Did your boyfriend leave? He seemed very comfortable.” He looked smug, but distant.

“Anders? No, he isn’t my boyfriend. He is….complicated. Not exactly interested in something of a more permanent nature.” Why was she telling him this? He didn’t need to know, but he made her feel so comfortable. 

“He’s a fool to not want only you, Ellana.” He paused in shelving cast off books to look at her fully. 

“I’m not exactly crying over it. Wait…what?” She was taken off guard by his comment moving closer to him. 

“You are a remarkable woman, Ellana.” His voice was soft and inviting. 

They had conversations here for months, but she had never thought he had any amount of interest in her.

“Solas? I didn’t think you thought of me as anything except as being an especially directionally challenged patron.” She finally stood directly in front of him. 

He clasped his hands behind his back. “You are so much more than that, Elle.” The look on his face was full of adoration.

“Do you want to go out sometime, Solas? I’ve never seen you away from books.” 

“Yes, Elle. I would like that.” 

Something pulled her closer to him, a hand caressed his high cheekbone. “You do see me.” she whispered. 

“I’ve seen you since you first walked in, months ago.” He kissed her palm as it lingered near his lips. 

“You feel like home. Is that strange to say?” She was entranced, they’d never been this close to one another. 

“It’s not strange to me at all.” He smiled. 

“I would get lost, just so that you would find me.” She chuckled.

“I could tell. I’d find myself always keeping an eye out, just so that I could be the one who discovered you and not one of the other librarians.” His blue eyes twinkled with delight. “I’ve waited for you for years.” He whispered allowing his hands to free themselves from behind him.

“Solas…” She didn’t know what to say. He advanced closing any space that was left between them. His body was warm against hers. The curves of her body fit instinctively against him. 

His kiss was diametrically opposed to Anders. It was gentle, giving, he demanded nothing and gave everything. He held her softly. Something deep inside of her bubbled up. “Ar lath, ma’vhenan.” She said quietly pulling back from him for a second. Despite reading elven, she had never spoken it aloud. A noise of pure delight rolled in his throat as he pressed his lips to hers again, this time more passionate; his tongue caressed her bottom lip and she gladly opened to him. 

“Ar lath’ma, Elle.” He nuzzled his nose against hers. 

“I….I’ve never spoken elven, Solas.” She was blissful, but confused. “It just sort of fell from my lips. I don’t understand.” 

“Did you mean what you said?” He searched her face as concern crept onto his face.

“Yes, I…I did. I love you, my heart. I’ve always loved you.” She did. She loved his man. How had she never realized it? 

Solas kissed her cheek. “You are my heart.” 

Elle was suddenly taken over with laughter. “So, about going out sometime?” 

His beautiful laugh joined hers, “I would go anywhere you wished, whenever you asked.”


	5. Secrets Stolen From Deep Inside

Ellana had let Leliana and Josephine drag her out that Friday night. Generally, Fridays were for takeout and reading in peace, but she finally caved because “everyone” was going. Instead of sweat pants she was in a body hugging mini dress, borrowed from Leli. Maybe the night wouldn’t be a disaster…well, a girl can dream. 

The small group sat huddled around a small inset table in the swanky uptown bar, Haven. This was much better than the hole in the wall she had expected. Her drink was fantastic and very pink. 

“Doesn’t she look sinful, Cullen? It was certainly worth getting her out of the house!” Dorian chuckled, nudging the large man sitting next to her. Cullen immediately turned beet red and shifted away from her. “Yes….of course...she….always.” his voice trailed off as his he pretended to be very interested in something on the ceiling. 

“Elle!” Josie pushed her from across the table. 

“Yes?” she exaggerated each letter, making her wait after her excited shove. 

“Over at the bar.” Elle started to turn her head “Don’t look! Do you see it?”

“Wait, I don’t understand am I looking or am I not looking?” she smiled wryly at her.

“Look, just be nonchalant about it. Not like you usually are.”

Elle rolled her eyes. 

“Oh, I see.” Dorian chuckled. “Elle, look toward your two o’clock. Bald elf.”

“That is not the most alluring description.” She scoffed, but she still turned her head to look.

There he was leaning against the bar. Tall, with a sophisticated air about him. He was all in black; Elle bet he was some sort of academic or poet. Either was appealing. The strange thing was that he was watching her intently.

Normally, she would have turned away quickly and blushed, but something was…different. Instead she winked at him, provoking a soft smile from across the room. Her heart started to race, his smile was so appealing to her. She bit her lip and looked down at her drink, quickly, but not embarrassed. 

“Elle. Thedas to Elle.” Dorian was hitting her leg under the table. “That was not what I had expected.” 

“I don’t know. I just feel….something. I’m going to go talk to him.” The words poured out of her mouth before she knew what she was saying. 

“What?!” The other four said in unison with various levels of shock. 

“You are always wanting me to put myself out there Leli, so I’m going to.” Elle downed the rest of her drink before standing. A touch of liquid courage never hurt anything. Normally she’d be running, but she was instead sauntering over to this stranger she had never seen before. Had she never seen him before? There was something so familiar about him. 

“Um…hi.” Not her best opening line. 

“Hello.” His voice was warm and inviting. 

“I couldn’t help, but notice you noticing me.” She teased. 

“How could I not? Anyone who didn’t notice you would be a fool.” His tone was even, matter of fact.

“I don’t know if I agree with that, but I thank you for the compliment.” Finally her eyes met his. She froze at his grey-blue eyes, entranced. Something hit behind them…hope?   
“It is not a matter of opinion. It is simply the truth.” His eyes felt like they were boring into her soul. 

“I really don’t do this…ever…come up to a stranger. Gawk at him. Get complimented in such beautiful ways. Um. Do you want to dance with me?” The last sentence was quickly murmured. 

“Yes.” And that was all he needed to say. 

She turned to walk toward the open dance floor with him behind her. His hand found the small of her back, protective, as they moved. Elle shot a glance back toward the table where her friends sat. Dorian stood and satirically applauded toward her. 

On the dance floor their bodies moved like they had been made to fit together. His hands held her perfectly: strong, but caring. Sooner than seemed reasonable, the band announced that it was their last song. Had they really been together so long? 

The ballad slowed from the front of the room. “Do I know you?” she looked up at him in wonder. “You feel so familiar. I haven’t even asked your name, but part of me feels like I already know it somehow.” His eyes silently darted around her face. “I must sound crazy.”

“No, you don’t.” he leaned his head down slightly holding her closer to him.

He wanted to be closer to her. Oh, Creators, she was about to kiss a stranger. Elle rose slightly on her toes to meet his lips and what followed was electric. Memories? Extremely specific fantasies? Laying together in a large bed as the morning sun cast light through a stain glass window. Him painting in a circular room. Lots of horseback riding. Then finally _vhenan_. 

She pulled away from the kiss tears starting to threaten her eyes. “Solas? You’re here.” 

His eyes were glassy and the brightest smile graced his face. “I will always find you, vhenan. I promised.”

She had never been happier in her life.


	6. Time After Time

Solas let his mind wander as his horse jostled him back and forth on the journey home; it wouldn’t be long now, he could see the temple in the distance. 

When he and Elle had made their promise as they both lay dying a sort of compulsion radiated into alternate worlds. Forever fating them to meet at the (relative) ages they had met in the world of the promise, and dooming him to know he would have to wait until his forties to find her. She always looked the same. Ellana was always somehow connected to their acquaintances from the first world, so when he found one of them, he usually found her. Solas’s soul had a touch of infinity in it, due to his immortality making each iteration hold on to the memory of her love. In the worlds where he was immortal, he had an ability to sense alternate “hims” in the Fade. 

Sometimes those other worlds did not hold the happiness he desired. Sometimes she would have died before he could hold her in his arms: a childhood illness or some freak accident. In those worlds he walked alone until the end of his years, having known her sweetest love he could not accept anything else. Sometimes he was too late and she had already found another to share her life with. Those were the worst lives; he couldn’t help but be around her, or at the very least check in on her. He would never ruin happiness she had built for herself before his appearance, he loved her too much. Instead he was fated to a life of restrained guardianship. 

But sometimes….most times….they found each other and were blissfully happy. She was always the sincere, kind, intelligent, beautiful creature regardless of where he found her. Sometimes she remembered their love already, sometimes meeting him pulled it to the surface, and sometimes she never recalled the past, instead falling for him again. 

This world was his favorite. He was a version of the promised Solas; Elvhenen had never fallen. He found Ellana immediately and she had remembered as soon as their eyes met. Even better? They were both ancient elvhen, immortal, they would spend eternity together. 

They had been married for five years now, a blink of an eye. He was not the prideful Fen’Harel he could have been…no…she stomped that out of him shortly after they were reacquainted. He could not imagine being happier than he was presently. 

He hitched his horse up outside of their temple and ascended to their rooms. Elle was unaware that he had entered, she was leaning against a door frame lost in thought. She was so beautiful, wrapped in breezy white silks that made her look other worldly. He snuck up behind her, gently wrapping his arms around her waist.

Elle gasped and looked behind her, allowing her head to fall back onto his shoulder once it registered who embraced her. “mmm” she purred against him “You are home, emma lath.” 

“Yes, finally.” He kissed her neck sweetly. 

“How was it?”

“Ugh. You know how politics excite me.” He stated wryly into her shoulder. 

His hands stoked her growing belly. She had been with child for a few months, but during his trip she seemed to have inflated. 

“I know. I’m beginning to rival a bronto in size.” She giggled. 

“You are even more beautiful to me, vhenan.” He felt pressure against his palm on her stomach. Fen’Harel gasped.

“Your child is happy you’ve arrived home, too.” Her voice chimed in delight. 

He moved to the front of her and kneeled down so his head was level with where the babe was being carried. His palms once again caressed her, and the bump responded with a kick. The wolf god looked up at his wife in amazement. 

“Yes, that is another thing that began in the month you were gone.” Her soft hands caressed his head, lovingly. 

“I will never go to the capital again.” He stated dramatically. He never wanted to miss a minute with her, especially now that their family was growing. His lips kissed where the kicks came from, he was so in love with this forming life. 

“How have you been during my absence, ma sa’lath?” Fen’Harel rose to once again embrace Ellana. 

“Well. Growing. The morning sickness has subsided. Mythal has been visiting me quite often. I think she favors you, darling. She is so happy to see you tamed, becoming a father.” 

Mythal always had a soft spot for him, newly raised to veneration. He was so restless waiting for his heart to be revealed to him. Now, the mother goddess would visit with them often, doting upon Elle. Thanking her in some way for loving Fen’Harel. 

“Tamed? Me? Never.” He chuckled raising a brow. 

“Is that so ma’Fen?” A glimmer of trouble flashed in her eyes before she leaned into him biting hard onto is neck. She soothed the sting with a roll of her tongue.  
His woman knew him intimately. He grabbed onto her hips, the passion of a month away rolling through him. 

“You may already be with child, but that won’t stop me from keeping you in bed with me for the next month to make up for the one I missed.” His voice was rough with desire. 

“Oh, good. We wouldn’t want anyone to think you had lost your edge.” She giggled pressing her forehead to his. 

“Come to bed, Elle.” He nibbled on her ear, provoking a moan.

“Yes, emma lath.” 

Eternity with this marvelous spirit was more than he could have ever wished for himself. He would make the promise to find her in every life, forever. He loved her more than he could describe. 

And in this world? 

They were incredibly happy.

**Author's Note:**

> emma’lath -my love  
> vhenan- heart (my heart)  
> ma sa’lath- my one love  
> emma’asha- my woman  
> da’len- young one  
> Ma'fen- my wolf  
> ~According to http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Elven_language


End file.
